Nazra Arshi graduated from UTS with a Master of Engineering (Extension) and major in Geotechnical Engineering. Today, she is a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer at GHD.
Meet Nazra
Coming from India, Nazra sought to pursue an extended Master of Engineering with a major in Geotechnical Engineering. Nazra chose UTS based on Sydney’s reputation for being one of the best cities in the world for education and the plentiful opportunities in geotechnical engineering in Australia.
“Australia is developing its infrastructure (in terms of roadways, railways, tunnels, etc both new and upgrade of existing) which creates a lot of opportunities for civil engineering. Since, geotechnical investigations are carried out before the construction of any structure, it is very crucial and a required skill in Australia for both short and long term, that creates a lot of opportunities for geotechnical engineers both in Sydney and in Australia.”
Upon enrolment, Nazra received the Postgraduate Academic Excellence International Scholarship which provides a 30% reduction in tuition fees.
It was a great experience to receive such a huge chunk of my tuition fee waived off. The reduced fee had eased my financial burden, which made everything a bit smoother.
As a student, Nazra had many opportunities to learn about the geotechnical industry and start creating a professional network before entering the workforce.
“One event organised by the Australian Geomechanics Society, in collaboration with faculty members, was a great networking event and also provided insights on what working in the geotechnical field looks like.”
Nazra also joined the Lucy Mentoring Program which connects women and gender diverse people studying engineering or technology at UTS to industry professionals for one-on-one mentoring.
“Since my mentor belonged to my field of study, he told me about career opportunities, what work I would be expected to do when I graduated, and also helped me with learning a new software. The Lucy Mentoring program helped me to establish my current career by providing many networking opportunities.”
After graduation, Nazra kicked off her career in Sydney as Graduate Geotechnical Engineer at GHD, an engineering, architecture, and construction services firm. She credits her mentorship and UTS education in geotechnical engineering, design, and software skills – such as Geostudio and Plaxis – with providing her the experience needed to be a stong candidate for graduate engineering roles.
“Before construction starts, geotechnical investigation needs to take place. Site investigation generally involve 10 to 12 hours on site on weekday, weekends or even night shifts. It involves a fly-in fly-out roster for bigger projects which involves 12-hour shifts for 7-14 days and then a week off depending on the nature of the project, this is what makes site work challenging. When I joined UTS, I was unaware of these requirements but gradually learned about it through my mentors which helped me prepare myself mentally for such an extensive work routine. Site work is an essential requirement for my field as it is important to know the soil properties before designing any foundation or structures on it.”